EDGE design Desireé Shanita EDGE

designed EDGERPI Undergraduate Student Work

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tongji University (2012)

B. ARCH (NCARB)Minor in Human Factors in Design/ Human Psychology

By creating an organic architecture that manipulates the edge to blur the boundary of the natural world with the built environment, allows for an investigation in how we perceive the world around us. Through this, the question of what is the EDGE arise to produce designs with the integration of energy efficient systems and sustainable elements to influence the human factors of the design.

Through experience in architectural, lighting, photography, and graphic design, my work collaborates various mediums to explore potentials that may not be realized in just the computerized world.

projects.

graphic art. art. fabrication. photography.

Desireé Shanita EDGE

Desireé S. Edge | 125 Dexter Street Attleboro, MA 02703 | desedge@hotmail.com | 781.492.8071 | www.desireeedge.com

Thesis | Fall 2012 + Spring 2013 | Schematic Design Institutional | Individual

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THE FUTURE CHURCH

RPI Green Gallery

The Church of Hope| Roxbury, MA || Project Statement

The main goal of the project was to allow for a religious center to reach out to the community through direct interaction to help prosper a cultural and communal support system. The Future church becomes a response to the dwindling influence of religion and life and helps focus our attention to the importance of the Godliness inside of us rather than the basic building typology.

The design is more direct to God’s description of the holy tabernacle in Exodus as Moses was traveling through the wilderness (Exodus). There were specific specifications in how the traveling tabernacle should be built. However, the main point was to create a place of worship that could be temporary, installed and re-installed to a new location. It became a direct connection to the user and traveled with the user, making a more intimate and direct connection to the Man Himself. through this direct translation, the design more Contemporary styled responds to an ancient principle while making a direct connection to the first phase research in literal mobility.

Interior render of sanctuary/ function hall/ concert hall space.

Diagram of multi-programmatic spaces during different days of the week. Exterior roof landscape system.

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WATER COLLECTION+ GLAZING SYSTEMSThe systems are created from the same technique of twistedenclosures that get smaller depending on the direction of the twist.In this case, it is one of the simple forms of rotated planes with straight extrusions only for the glazing planels.

WATER COLLECTION+ GLAZING SYSTEMS WITH LANDSCAPINGThe water basins are designed with ribs for the container to hold largequantities of water and provide structural support. The glazing systems in most cases, slant to allow water to runoff into these basins throughout the roof.adding pond and other water form features in the roof terrain.

HABITABLE COLUMNAR PRIVATE ROOMSDesigned at a ceiling height dependant on the function of the adjaceentroof mound each structure meant to hold small private programs and in someareas interior planting that is fertilized from roof runoff where some columnarforms are open to the air rather than enclosed.

MOUND 1

MOUND 1 + WALKWAY

COLUMN STRUCTURE 1

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| Fall 2013 | Schematic Design Institution | Individual

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THE SUSTAINABLE

CHURCH NHBC Building Committee

New Hope Baptist Church| Roxbury, MA || Project Statement

The whole idea was to create a sweeping motion with a flexible, sustainable design with the greatest potential for membership growth. The design includes a green roof for outdoor worship opportunities with community outreach which connected to the interior sanctuary for maximum worship potential.

The church design utilizes the landscape of the site by working with the natural elements while promoting multiple usages of transportation through bike trails, natural gardens, parking, and public transportation areas. The flexibility in program of interior and exterior design provoked a new radical view of the baptist church in the present time phase research in literal mobility.

main entrance/exit

entrance/exit

entrance/exit

entrance/exit

entrance/exit

entrance/exitentrance/exit

Fellowship Hall

Administration

Library Space

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LEGEND

1. Fellowship Hall and Dining Area2. Kitchen3. Pantry4. Dining Room Storage5. Nave6. Restroom7. Restroom8. Mechanical Room9. Garage/ Parking10. Library Space/ Multi-Functional11. Exhibit Space12. Work Room13. Storage14. Reception Desk15. Secretary Office16. Work Room (Includes Printer and Work Station Area)17. Kitchenette18. Restroom19. Deacon/ Deaconess Office20. Financial Secretary Office21. Pastor’s Office22. Assistant Ministers Office23. Shared Ministries Office24. Trustee Office25. Assistant Pastor Office26. Clerk Office27. Clerk Secretary Office28. Vault

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entrance/exit

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Sanctuary

Education

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Walkable Green Roof

LEGEND

29. Sanctuary30. Choir Rehearsal Room31. Instrument Storage32. Instrument Practice33. Foyer/ Narthex34. Kitchenette35. Classroom36. Classroom37. Classroom38. Classroom39. Classroom40. Shared Space41. Classroom42. Classroom43. Classroom44. Classroom45. Classroom46. Classroom47. Restroom48. Nurse Office

Exterior aerial renders of scheme one design with fl exible programs and spaces. Exterior close up renders of scheme two design of more traditional design.

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Hand sketches of initial design that infl uenced fi nal design layout. Schematic fl oor plans.

Design Studio | Spring 2012 | Schematic Design Urban Design | Partnership

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A NEW GREAT WORLD

CAUP Tongji University Shanghai, China

The Urban Wrap| Shanghai, China

|| Project Statement

Urban design in the Pudong area of Shanghai is very distinct in developing an environment that is evolving at a rapid pace. By emphasizing the importance of making connections between the old and new world, it was a design strategy to make direct connections to the context in order to bridge together the gap, and to draw more people into the ferry stations.

Through multiple implications with the weaving technique of the wrap and weave to provide a construction strategy for the urban design, continuous connections to the multi level exterior areas like the elevated park, sky park, and hotel roof gardens were made accessible vertically and horizontally. By blurring this distinction, a new level of transparency evolved that created an increased experiential complex that blended the in versus the out. Within the same system, the five towers also address the shoreline of the Huangpu River in order to draw in the shore to the ferry stops at the center of the site. The connection made an easy attractive transport to the rest of the city.

Views of major exterior programs throughout design.

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Site plan of urban scheme off of Huangpu River.

PARTIAL SECTION 1:400

PARTIAL SECTION 1:400

TRANSVERSE SECTION 1:400

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manipulation

INTEGRATING ELEMENTAL LEARNING

Renssealer SOA Gallery Troy, NY

Vihelmsro Elementary School | AsmiderØd, Denmark

|| Project Statement

Primary education is the beginning of child development for real world preparation. With a nature curriculum as the basis for this design competition and a critique from Bjarke Ingles Group for the Vihelmsro Elementary School, we redesigned a scheme that critiqued the cell and bells learning theory to the point where the project entered design development construction phase.

The built and unbuilt environment were designed together to make a cohesive design where the undulating terrain created a universal environment that all types of children could interact with inside and out. Intimate glass box classroom spaces with main public spaces, “tree house” lofts, restrooms, and multipurpose cubie walls, transitioned from the universal environment to create multipurpose learning environments.

| Fall 2011 | Design Development Education | Partnership

Model photos of major design elements Renders of exterior nd interior learning environments.Exploded axo of different levels Hand sketched of enclosure options.

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North and south elevation.North and south sections.

Site plan. Wall section showing slanted column connection to roof overlap.

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repetition

Architectural Design 3 | Fall 2009 | Schematic Design Residential | Team

Detail of facade construction design.

INTEGRATED LIFESTYLE HOUSING

Renssealer SOA Gallery Troy, NY

Community Housing of

South Boston| Boston, MA

|| Project Statement

Multipurpose residential housing for 35 families was a design challenged that embarked a push for variation in living spaces different from any other housing. By creating a design that played with a geometric grid that varied in plan and section, a play on intimate and public spaces for all residences manifested.

A community bistro was located on the first floor that allowed for a community restaurant that drew people from the main street into the site. Roof terraces, internal courtyards, and trellis gardens overhanging patio spaces, created outdoor programs that worked with the various apartment module setups of one, two, three and four bedroom apartments. The housing helped house the South Boston community including the adjacent Harvard University community.

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Floor plans of residential housing for graduate students.

One bedroom unit

Two bedroom unit

Three bedroom unit Multi family three bedroom

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model makingArchitectural Design Models | Schematic DesignAssembling | Group

Process of casting parametric module design for wall assembly.

Process photos of paper model structure.

hand sketching | Spring 2011 | Schematic Design Drafting/ Sketching | Individual

ETFE pillows and steel enclosure system diagrams.

ETFE pillows and steel enclosure system diagrams for structure.

Analysis of motion and temperature of rotating glass panel enclosure system.

Analysis of fl uid and pressure of rotating glass panel enclosure system.

Analysis of load and strength of rotating glass panel enclosure system.

painting/ drawingpainting/ drawing Enclosure Systems Enclosure Systems | Spring 2011 | Schematic Design Drafting/ Sketching | Individual

photographyphotographyPhotography Internship + HobbyPhotography Internship + Hobby | VariousStrategy | Individual